Why Battlestar Galactica was so good

After last weekend’s SyFy marathon of the 2000s version of Battlestar Galactica, we’re taking a look at some of the reasons we think it’s so good.

SyFy aired a marathon of the reimagined Battlestar Galactica series this past weekend, and the episodes were better than I remembered.

The original BSG first aired in 1978, and while studio executives were banking on the success of Star Wars to carry it into popularity, the series was heavily criticized as a cheap imitation. But in 2003, the franchise had finally carved its own niche, for longtime Star Trek producer Ronald D. Moore had turned what was once a cheesy Star Wars knockoff into one of the most compelling, divisive shows on television.

Other television shows such as Friends, Lost, Breaking Bad, and the still-airing Game of Thrones have also set new standards in television. The quality of the writing and the acting, as well as the execution of these shows, have broken new grounds and propelled television to the next level. There have been many shows (those aforementioned included) that I have considered to be either great or one of the best. BSG is definitely one of them.

Here’s why.

It’s a reflection of its time

Battlestar Galactica was created during the height of the George W. Bush presidency era in 2003, when the War on Terror was at its peak. While other shows chose to tackle the issue by condemning terrorism in black and white, BSG took a different approach.

One example that sticks out is when the humans were occupied by the Cylons in season 3 . Colonel Tigh (Michael Hogan) ordered the human resistance to fight the Cylons by strapping their own onto bombs, turning them into suicide bombers. The concept was brilliant — everything we knew about terrorism was turned upside down. The characters we’d come to know and love chose to fight a dirty war. Terrorism was shown in a different light, making the familiar seem unfamiliar.

It’s gender equal

Moore stirred up short-lived controversy by changing the genders of popular characters Starbuck and Boomer, Starbuck in particular. Though the gender changes drew ire from fans of the original series, the new Starbuck and Boomer (Katee Sackhoff and Grace Park, respectively) quickly became cultural icons.

In addition, the structure and tradition of the military in Battlestar Galactica is loosely modeled on the United States Navy, though it added an intriguing level of gender neutrality — men and women shared shower rooms and living quarters and were both referred to as “sir.” Women were seen as complete equals to men, with some holding high-ranking political and military positions.

It’s religious, and not, at the same time

Glen A. Larson, the creator behind the original Battlestar Galactica, envisioned a science fiction series that would not only explore the themes of his Mormon religion, but would also draw heavily from Greek mythology. While the 2003 version kept those elements, it also shaped Larson’s vision to a more conceptual direction, aligning religious ideology to artificial intelligence.

In an interview with Wired magazine, Moore talked about religion in sci-fi, saying:

"You can deal with religion more aggressively in science fiction than you can in a contemporary show. You get a pass because everyone agrees it’s not Christianity or Islam or any of those things we’re so freaked out about. Even though it is."

One of the reasons for the war between the humans and the Cylons is their different views of God and faith, which is similar to what is happening in the world today. The humans worshipped many gods — Apollo, Poseidon, Zeus — while the Cylons believe in the “one true God,” similar to Christians and Muslims. Decades after the Cylons rebelled against the humans in a devastating war, the Cylons returned from deep space, disguised as humans. They integrated themselves into human colonies and destroyed them from within. The Cylons believed the extinction of the human race was necessary, because they believed that humans were flawed creations and that they held a higher moral ground.

But the show ends with the humans and the Cylons starting a new path together on a new planet, representing coexistence of the two populations. In an interview with AMC’s Clayton Neuman, Moore thinks “the show has been a lot about exploration of ideas, and the basis of faith and how can you come at it: one God, many gods, no gods, who knows.”

Next: Is Peggy Carter in Avengers: Infinity War, or is it just wishful thinking?

Words really can’t explain how well made this show was. Battlestar Galactica is something special to me, and it should be treated as much. If you have failed to watch it, now is the time. It is not only a contender for the best sci-fi series of all time, but it is also one the greatest series of all time, period. So say we all.

Battlestar Galactica is currently available for streaming on Hulu.